One-Pan Easy Baked Mac and Cheese

SERVES 4
TIME 1 hour
To make things totally simple, we wanted to be able to cook the pasta without having to heat up the water or toast the macaroni. Cooking the pasta at a relatively moderate temperature in a mixture of water and evaporated milk helped us do just that while also establishing a creamy base for the cheese sauce. Stirring in a meltable blend of shredded cheddar and American cheeses at the end of baking gave us perfectly and evenly cooked pasta in a lush, smooth sauce. And panko bread crumbs, browned in the microwave and sprinkled on before serving, provided irresistible crunch.
Ingredients:
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
2½ cups water
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and pepper
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
6 ounces American cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
½ cup panko bread crumbs, toasted
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread macaroni into prepared dish. Whisk 2 cups water, evaporated milk, dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Pour into baking dish and stir gently to combine.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is nearly tender and most liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Remove dish from oven and stir macaroni thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of dish. Stir in remaining ½ cup water, cheddar cheese, and American cheese. Cover dish with foil and return to oven to bake until macaroni is tender and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove dish from oven. Stir to coat pasta evenly in sauce, and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted panko before serving.